Ph...Alkalinity...Ca reactor...HELP

[Rob Top]

Ok my Ph is stable though out the day, as is my Alk, but it is low. 8.1 and 3 using Seachem test kits and the test kits where checked aginst referance tests to make sure they where right. Ph should be 8.2-8.4 and Alk 4-6. The Alk needs to be raised to maintain a higher Ph right? Now the question becomes will the addition of a Ca reactor help here? I just installed a K2R on the 280G system. The out put on that is at 7ph and a Alk of 6.5. It is getting about 2 bubbles of CO2 a second and is dripping into the tank at a rate of about 5 drops a second. It seems that the high Alk will help raise that of the system, but my consern is will the low Ph take my already low Ph down even more. The Co2 is hooked up to a timer untill I get a Ph controller and will get shut off with the main lighting. Now the questions.

Am I right with the assumtion that the Alk will go up based on the Ca reactor?
Will it lower the system's Ph?
Is the flow rate good?
If the Ca reactor is not the way to fix the alk/ph issue what is?

These values have been as such for the past week and at differant times in the day. No one is showing signs of stress with the low Ph, but would still like to get is taken car of.

 

[ChaoticReefer]

Yes, your main system alk should go up. And yes, your main system pH should drop, but don't expect a much drop with 280g system, you have good surface flow on you system, pH change should be almost neglect.

It doesn't sound like that you have set up your reactor correctly.

1) Your reactor's output flow rate should run around 100 ml/min. Its a constant steady slow stream.

2) Your output pH seems slightly high. For a single chamber reactor your pH should be around 6.5 and for a dual chamber reactor your pH should be around 6.7. These numbers are just rule of thumb to start out with. Some people can run at a higher pH while ours need a lower pH.

3) The reactor's output Alk should be in the neighborhood of 21 dKH, if not, higher. I would increase you bubble count. Try 3 bubbles per sec.

Good Luck.